On cultivation of the fungus Antrodia cinnamomea (BCRC 36799) on a medium, the mycelium was extracted and evaluated for nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity. Bioactivity-directed fractionation led to the isolation of two new maleimide derivatives, antrocinnamomins A (1) and B (2), and two new maleic anhydride derivatives, antrocinnamomins C (3) and D (4), along with three known compounds, 3-isobutyl-4-[4-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl]furan-2,5-dione (5), 3-isobutyl-4-[4-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl]-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (6), and 3-isobutyl-4-[4-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl]-1H-pyrrol-1-ol-2,5-dione (7). Structural elucidation of compounds 1-4 was carried out by spectroscopic data. Compound 1 displayed significant inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production.

Antrodia camphorata is well known in Taiwan as a traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, we have investigated the antioxidant properties of a fermented culture broth of Antrodia camphorata (FCBA) and the aqueous extracts of mycelia from Antrodia camphorata (AEMA) on the oxidative modification of human low-density lipoproteins (LDL), as induced by either copper sulfate (CuSO(4)) or 2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH). Under such oxidant stress, FCBA and AEMA appear to possess antioxidant properties with respect to oxidation of LDL in a time-and concentration-dependent manner, as assessed by inhibition of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) formation, conjugated diene production, and cholesterol degradation of oxidized LDL. In addition, both FCBA and AEMA exhibited a remarkable ability to rescue the relative electrophoretic mobility and fragmentation of the Apo B moiety of the oxidized LDL. Furthermore, FCBA and AEMA effectively protected the endothelial cells from the damaging effects of the CuSO(4)-oxidized LDL. Our findings suggest that the antioxidant properties of Antrodia camphorata may also provide effective protection from atherosclerosis.

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